Changing My Status, Except Not Really

A while back, I noticed I had never listed a relationship status for myself on Facebook. After decades of marriage, I felt confident in listing my status as “married.” I first clicked “Edit Profile” and then “Family and Relationships,” and then edited my relationship status, remedying my previous oversight.

Possibly due to my own aged-person ineptitude, or possibly due to other people’s misunderstanding, I’ve encountered questions and concerns ever since. Suddenly, anniversary best wishes were pouring in, followed by inundations of congratulations. Facebook connects you to people you don’t see often and whom you don’t even know well. When on occasion I run into some of these, they remember to ask, commiserate, and/or congratulate.

Facebook may think I changed my status, and I may have mistakenly made it seem like I changed my status, but I didn’t really change my status. This is just to clarify, today, on my 37th wedding anniversary, my actual relationship status is unlikely to change until one of us dies or kills the other one.